Casting apparatus with means for removing ingot on bottom mold elements

ABSTRACT

The disclosure of this invention relates to a device for removing a cast article from a bottom pressure-casting machine. It includes a carriage for supporting the bottom mold of the machine and hence, the cast article. A tractor-type power device is provided at one side of the casting machine which moves the carriage away from the upper mold elements of the machine so that the cast article can be removed from the bottom mold at a location remote from the upper mold elements.

United States Patent [151 3,MU,3M

Sieger 1 Feb. 8, 1972 [54] CASTING APPARATUS WITH MEANS 2,719,346 10/1955 Caciagli ..25/2 X FOR REMOVING INGOT 0N BOTTOM 3,340,926 9/1967 Sylvester MOLD ELEMENTS 3,352,465 11/1967 Shapland .:::.222/56l x [72] Inventor: Maurice Paul Sieger, Pittsburgh, Pa. Primary Examiner--J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-John E. Roethel [73] Asslgnee: Uruted Engineering and Foundry Com- Attorney Henry wesfin pany, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: June 1, 1966 RAC 21 APPL 554, 03 The disclosure of this invention relates to a device for removing a cast article from a bottom pressure-casting machine. It includes a carriage for supporting the bottom mold of the US. machine and hence the cast article A tractor type power [51] Int. Cl. ..B22d 29/00, 822d 45/00 device is provided at one ide of the casting machine which [58] Field of Search ..164/269, 335, 337, 270, 412; moves the carriage away from the upper mold elements of the 2 machine so that the cast article can be removed from the bottom mold at a location remote from the upper mold elements. [56] References Cited 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,596,052 5/1952 Stockmar ..25/2 X Q F J 7 L I 9 32 3 I I 3| as L as 1; T I 32 4| l 4 A" 25 i I PATENTED rm 84972 3540.334

sum 2 0F 2 INVENTOR. MAURICE P. SIEGER HIS ATTORNEY CASTING APPARATUS WITIll MEANS FOR REMOVING INGOT ON BOTTOM MOLD ELEMENTS BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to an article-casting machine in which, while it may be employed in a number of different types of casting machine, for the purpose of illustration only, it is being described with reference to a bottom pressure-pouring casting machine, such as of the type illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,015,863 issued in the name ofC. F. Strom et al. on Jan. 9, I962. It is customary in such casting machines to provide a movable gate that is arranged between the pressure vessel and the mold assembly and through which the molten metal from the vessel passes into the mold assembly. It is important in such a construction that the gate be positively maintained in a sealed relationship with respect to the bottom of the mold assembly so as to prevent any escape of the metal from the mold assembly. Heretofore, this sealing condition was obtained by urging the gate towards the mold assembly under the influence of a fluid pressure means, such as an hydraulic pressure piston cylinder assembly. This arrangement is subject to one serious disadvantage in that on the inadvertent failure of the pressure in the piston cylinder assembly, the sealing condition is lost and the operation must be interrupted.

It is also a requirement that the gate be allowed to move from an operative position to an inoperative position and vice versa so that after casting, the portion of the metal that solidifies in the mold assembly may be severed from the solidified portion outside the mold assembly so that the cast article can be removed from the mold. Heretofore, after the completion of the casting procedure, the article was removed from the mold assembly by an overhead crane. This, of course, is quite cumbersome and time consuming, in addition to requiring the services of several workmen.

The present invention provides a very simple yet highly expeditious apparatus for removing the cast article from the mold. In addition, it is contemplated that the cast-articleremoving device can be engageable and disengageable from the gate assembly whereby the inner portion of the gate assembly may be removable with the casting leaving the remaining portion of the gate assembly in its operative position and wherein the bottom of the mold itself is adapted to be moved with the cast article.

DRAWINGS These objects, as well as other novel features and advantages of the present invention, will be better appreciated when the following description is read along with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pressure casting arrangement illustrating the portion thereof which involves the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on lines IIIIII of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines IV--IV of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION With reference to FIGS. I and 2, there is illustrated the novel gate assembly and the novel carriage for removing the cast articles. Although not illustrated, it will be appreciated that below the gate assembly, to be yet defined, there is provided a pressure vessel which delivers molten metal to the gate assembly, in which the gate assembly directs the molten metal to a mold cavity having a configuration conforming to the contour of the article to be cast. In the present case, the cast article, for the purpose of illustration, is shown to be a slab which is formed by a cavity defined by side, end, top and bottom graphite mold blocks. One of these blocks, that being the bottom block, is shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the slab whereas FIG. 3 illustrates the two end blocks and the cavity defining the thickness of the slab.

LII

With reference then to FIG. 1, there is shown a gate assembly 9 spaced between the mold assembly and the pressure pouring vessel and through which molten metal passes from the vessel to the mold. The space is sufficient to allow the gate to be moved away from the mold to facilitate the removal of the cast article. As shown in FIG. 3, the gate is comprised essentially of an outer housing or casing 10 that receives in an opening 11 two refractory liners. The first liner 12 is arranged in the lower portion of the casing, whereas the second liner 13. being conical in shape, is located in the upper portion of the casing. Both liners are held by a cylindrical retainer 14 which is secured to the casing. The casing is adapted to move vertically in a U-shaped frame so as to bring the entire gate assembly to a position in forcible contact with the bottom of the mold from a position remote therefrom. As previously noted, it is important that the gate assembly be forcibly maintained against the bottom of the mold during the pouring procedure and that this means be not subject to inadvertent failure of the source of power. Consequently, there is provided, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of arms 18 which engages the casing 10 at two opposed points, the arms 18 being received in shafts 22, the shafts being rotated by second arms 23, the second arms being connected to spring assemblies 24. The spring assemblies are designed to provide a positive force sufficient to urge the casing upward and establish the proper sealing condition with the mold assembly.

In order to move the gate assembly away from the mold, there is connected to the shafts 22 piston cylinder assemblies 25, which are designed to overcome the force of the spring assemblies 24 and cause the lower portion of the arms 18 to engage the casing, thereby to lower the gate assembly.

As previously noted, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a quick and dependable procedure for removing the cast article from the mold. The cast article removing device may be incorporated so as to remove the gate assembly with the cast article when the cast article is removed from the mold assembly. Such an apparatus is shown in the drawings, although it will be appreciated that in the given construction, the gate assembly need not be removable with the cast article. In the illustrated form, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower mold M is mounted on a first carriage 31 having a plurality of wheels 32 which engage with rails 33 so that the bottom mold assembly may be moved longitudinally relative to the side and end mold blocks. As noted previously, the gate assembly 9 is received in the U-shaped frame 17 which is a part of the bottom mold assembly, whereby the bottom mold assembly and gate may be moved into and out of the mold assembly as a unit.

As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, to the side of the mold assembly where the gate 10 is located, there is provided a cast article receiving and supporting device which consists of a second carriage 35 adapted to move transversely of the longitudinal axis of the cast article being mounted on a pair of wheels 36, one being shown in FIG. 2, the wheels being driven by a motor 37 and engage rails 38. This carriage is adapted to also receive a third carriage 41 which moves normal to the direction of travel of the carriage 35. As FIG. 4 shows, the third carriage 41 is received in guide ways 42 and is driven by providing a gear drive that serves as a tractor. The drive includes two pinions 43 and 44 driven by a motor 45 and, as FIG. 4 shows, the pinions mesh with each other and with parallel racks 46 and 47 and motivate the carriage 41 towards and away from the casting machine.

As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, at the one end of the carriage 41 adjacent to the gate 9 there are provided books 48 which engage similar hooks 49 formed on the bottom mold M. As previously noted, the wheels 32 on the carriage 31 that carry the bottom mold M, engage rails 33 in which regard it will be noted that complementary rails 51 are formed on the carriage 35 which are continuations of the rails 33. By this means the bottom mold M can be moved from its operative position to a position on the carriage 35 on the movement of the carriage 41. In order to give stability to the cast article which, in this case is a slab supported on its edge, as FIG. 2 shows, the carriage 41 is provided with inverted L-shaped arms 52 which are adjustable to take into account the varying width of the slab being produced. The carriage 35 is also provided with upright members 53 which engage the opposite sides of the slab as it is delivered onto the carriage 35.

It should be mentioned with respect to the novel gate assembly that, instead of the spring and cylinder arrangement, other arrangements can be employed, such as providing a torque motor.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Iclaim:

1. In an article-casting apparatus,

a plurality of upper mold elements,

a bottom mold element on which the cast article is adapted to rest on completion of the casting operation,

a carriage for supporting said bottom mold element,

supporting and guiding means for the carriage constructed to allow the carriage to move in a longitudinal direction towards and away from said upper mold elements, an additional supporting and guiding means for said carriage having power means and arranged to one side of the mold elements, said power means movable in a longitudinal direction towards and away from said carriage, and

means for connecting the power means to said carriage, so that said carriage, including the bottom mold element and cast article, can be moved away from said upper mold elements.

2. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 1, including an additional carriage on which said second supporting and guiding means is mounted and onto which said carriage is brought on the removal of the cast article away from the upper mold elements, and

means for moving said additional carriage in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the first carriage.

3. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 2, in which said power means includes a member which engages the cast article to hold the article in substantially the same position it assumed during casting during its movement away from the upper mold elements.

4. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 2, including means mounted on said additional carn'age which engages the cast article to hold the article in substantially the same position it assumed when it is moved away from the upper mold elements.

5. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said carriage includes a pair ofwheels,

a first set of rails arranged below said bottom mold elements and fixedly mounted for engagement by said wheels, and

a second set of rails mounted on said additional carriage and serving as continuations of said first set of rails.

6. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 5, in which said power means comprises a tractor mounted on said second set of rails, and

means for advancing said tractor towards and away from said first carriage.

7. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 6, including a first hook carried by said tractor, a second hook carried by said first carriage, said hooks being mounted for relative movement so that they may be caused to engage each other.

8. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 1, including a gate assembly adapted to deliver molten metal from a vessel to a mold cavity formed by said mold elements, and

means for mounting said gate assembly on said carriage for movement therewith.

9. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein said gate assembl includes means for movin said gate assembly towards an away from said bottom mo d element. 

1. In an article-casting apparatus, a plurality of upper mold elements, a bottom mold element on which the cast article is adapted to rest on completion of the casting operation, a carriage for supporting said bottom mold element, supporting and guiding means for the carriage constructed to allow the carriage to move in a longitudinal direction towards and away from said upper mold elements, an additional supporting and guiding means for said carriage having power means and arranged to one side of the mold elements, said power means movable in a longitudinal direction towards and away from said carriage, and means for connecting the power means to said carriage, so that said carriage, including the bottom mold element and cast article, can be moved away from said upper mold elements.
 2. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 1, including an additional carriage on which said second supporting and guiding means is mounted and onto which said carriage is brought on the removal of the cast article away from the upper mold elements, and means for moving said additional carriage in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the first carriage.
 3. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 2, in which said power means includes a member which engages the cast article to hold the article in substantially the same position it assumed during casting during its movement away from the upper mold elements.
 4. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 2, including means mounted on said additional carriage which engages the cast article to hold the article in substantially the same position it assumed when it is moved away from the upper mold elements.
 5. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said carriage includes a pair oF wheels, a first set of rails arranged below said bottom mold elements and fixedly mounted for engagement by said wheels, and a second set of rails mounted on said additional carriage and serving as continuations of said first set of rails.
 6. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 5, in which said power means comprises a tractor mounted on said second set of rails, and means for advancing said tractor towards and away from said first carriage.
 7. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 6, including a first hook carried by said tractor, a second hook carried by said first carriage, said hooks being mounted for relative movement so that they may be caused to engage each other.
 8. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 1, including a gate assembly adapted to deliver molten metal from a vessel to a mold cavity formed by said mold elements, and means for mounting said gate assembly on said carriage for movement therewith.
 9. In an article-casting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said gate assembly includes means for moving said gate assembly towards and away from said bottom mold element. 